Topcoat Series: Part 3, Understanding Top Coat - Alexseal

Topcoat
Part
by steve rosenberg
3
Series
Understanding Top Coat
With all the different options out there,
how do know what paint is right for
your boat
It wasn’t so long ago that the only real
choice you had before getting your topside repainted was
what color you liked best. Now, the technologies behind
top-coat paints have become so complicated, it’s hard to
know where to start. The good news, of course, is that,
with advanced technology, come incredible steps forward
in durability, ease of maintenance, and the finished look of
your new paint job.
Choosing the right paint and process can be challenging,
but with a little information, you will be talking the talk in no
time. To help guide you through the process, we’ve spoken
to experts at several major paint manufacturers. This month,
we’ll take a look at some of the different types of top-coat
paint to help you narrow down your options.
Tripp Nelson, Alexseal Yacht Coatings:
With the number of paint options out there, it’s important
to really think about the area to be refinished. Not all areas
will require the exact same results. Let’s say you wanted
to repaint a helm station on a yacht and that area had
to be perfectly flawless. You didn’t want any texture, dirt
or defects whatsoever because you wanted to be able
to polish the helm station. In that case, you may want
to choose an acrylic polyurethane, similar to automotive
paints, because it’s softer, and it’s much easier to polish.
That’s an example of where one product might be more
suited than another.
If you’re looking at non-skid areas, you do have the
option with the different paints to choose your texture. You
48 allatsea.net September 2011

Interlux Half boat project: Office
and factory workers restored half
of this boat to show what two part
polyurethane can do.
Photo courtesy of Interlux Yacht Finishes
can add a plastic bead to the paint to obtain a fine non-skid
surface if you are going to be sitting on the area and you’re
not worried about the safety aspect. You can also choose
to have a coarser non-skid area such as on the bow deck.
You can tailor the non-skid surface with these polyurethane
paints just by adding different amounts of beads to them.
Jack Hickey, Blue Water Marine Paint:
Deciding on the finished look you’re after really drives
the steps you’ll take choosing a top-coat product.
Some finishes require special application methods and
specific skills such as spraying or tent drying. If you want
the maximum in longevity and appearance and you’ve
chosen a polyurethane finish and the appropriate system
of primers and filling/fairing compounds, you should be
asking for the marina, boatyard or painting contractor for
their experience with spray techniques and any available
testimonials to their experience, such as previous boats
he has repainted. In general, the service or use of the
boat hull to be painted has little to do with the choice
of topcoat system; however, the life expectancy, inherent
durability and both initial and longer-term appearance
usually drives the choices.
One thing to remember when planning your painting
project is that your choice of topcoats, primers and compounds
should all come from a single manufacturer if possible.
This can alleviate any liability questions incurred as a result of
a paint-system failure. Failures are rare but it is always a good
idea to stay with one vendor for the products to be applied as
well as the marine, boatyard or contractor used.
Jim Seidel, Interlux Yacht Finishes:
Marine alkyd enamels are single-part paints. They use
synthetically produced resins that give good coverage and
hide. They are easy to use and flow out well. Another option
is a single-package polyurethane that uses a blend of alkyd
and urethane resins that are more durable than marine alkyd
enamels. They have excellent gloss, gloss retention and
provide excellent abrasion resistance. Finally, you have twopart
polyester polyurethane products with a hard, abrasionresistant
coating with high gloss and extreme durability. Twopart
polyurethanes come in two types, polyester polyurethane
and acrylic polyurethane. Polyester polyurethanes were
originally developed for the aircraft industry and are hard
abrasion resistant coatings that are very durable but are
difficult to repair. Acrylic polyurethanes were developed
for the automotive market where there was need for a hard
coating that was easier to repair if it became scratched or
nicked. They dry faster than polyester polyurethanes and
can be buffed for a higher gloss if necessary. While polyester
polyurethanes are the most popular type used in the yacht
market, acrylic polyurethanes are used because of ease and
speed of application and their ability to be repaired easily.
Coming next month: We’ll look at the best ways to
maintain your new paint job and different methods of
removing stains and minor damage.
Steve Rosenberg is the former editorial director of Boating
World magazine and now writes exclusively about boating
and yachting.
September 2011 allatsea.net 49